Waves (2024): Cast, Ratings, Box Office & Plot
Waves is a 2024 historical thriller directed by Jiří Mádl, starring Stanislav Majer as Milan Weiner, Tatiana Pauhofová and Vojtěch Kotek. It runs 2 hours 11 minutes and earned $8.9 million worldwide on a $3.5 million budget. IMDb users rate it 7.7/10.
- Released
- Runtime
- 2h 11m (131 min)
- Director
- Jiří Mádl
- Original language
-
Czech
- Studio
- Dawson Productions
- Budget
- $3.5M
- After the credits
- No No extra scene
What Is Waves About?
The premise of Waves without spoilers. The whole story is in the plot summary further down.
In the late 1960s, amidst a backdrop of rock and roll and student protests, a young man joins a respected public radio newsroom. He quickly becomes entangled in a tense and perilous conflict between journalists and a powerful secret service organization. The situation escalates, threatening to expose a story with the potential to change history forever.
Waves Themes & Keywords
· 50 tags- year 1967
- teenage boy
- bare chested boy
- bare chested male
- 20th century
- one word title
- 1960s
- central europe
- year 1968
- older woman younger man relationship
- radio personality
- brother brother relationship
+38 more Show fewer
- radio
- man wears glasses
- journalist
- based on real person
- woman wears glasses
- radio station
- prague czech republic
- central european history
- prague czechia
- european history
- audio tape
- new job
- written by director
- czech history
- prague
- resistance
- revolt
- czech resistance
- orphan
- workplace romance
- male star appears shirtless
- teenager
- female journalist
- domineering brother
- broadcasting industry
- truth
- fake letter
- swimming pool
- telephone call
- cemetery
- letter
- grave
- new year's eve
- orphan boy
- slow motion scene
- radio broadcast
- archive footage
- reference to komsomolskaya pravda
Waves Cast & Characters
Stanislav Majer leads the cast as Milan Weiner, with Tatiana Pauhofová as Věra Šťovíčková and Vojtěch Kotek as Jiří Dienstbier. Directed by Jiří Mádl; 74 actors are credited in all.
- Director Jiří Mádl
- Stanislav Majer as Milan Weiner
- Tatiana Pauhofová as Věra Šťovíčková
- Vojtěch Kotek as Jiří Dienstbier
- Martin Hofmann as Luboš Dobrovský
Also Starring in Waves
· 70 more- Petr Lněnička Jan Petránek
- Tomáš Maštalír Karel Hoffmann
- Vojtěch Vodochodský Tomáš Havlík
- Ondrej Stupka Pavel Havlík
- Igor Bareš Hrabský
- Jan Vondráček
- Jan Novotný Antonín Novotný
- Jan Teplý Burda
- Marika Šoposká Jarunka
- Filip Kaňkovský
- Petr Halíček Jaroslav Pavelka
- Ondřej Volejník Dalecký
- Petr Buchta Skácel
- Jan Dvořák Ovčák
- Jevgenij Libezňuk generál
- Michaela Majerníková Jezdinská
Show all 74 cast members Show fewer cast members
- Jan Nedbal Zdeněk Šimr
- Jacob Erftemeijer Ludvík Čermák
- Tomáš Weber Holenda
- Daniel Tůma Karásek
- Vlastimil Kristl technický ředitel
- Hana Kusnjerová Marie Weinerová
- Miloslav Kopečný
- René Šmotek Houška
- Matyáš Řezníček Karel Jezdinský
- Richard Fiala
- Sergej Sanža
- Věra Hlaváčková
- Ivan Růžička
- Dušan Sitek
- Tomáš Pavelka
- Zlatko Teskere
- Marie Anna Kupcová Simona
- Monika Kristlová pracovnice sociálky
- František Mádl miminko
- Theo Jacques Waldemar Matuška
- Ida Mrázová
- Petr Fischer
- Jakub Slach
- Pablo Maldonado
- Mary Angiolillo
- Ivana Stejskalová
- Antonio Šoposki
- Ludmila Michalová
- Jakub Weiner
- Giuseppe Picheca
- Kryštof Zapletal
- Janusz Hummel
- Natálie Golovchenko
- Roman Motyčka
- Aurélia Krisl
- Peter Bús
- Hedvika Čermáková
- Tereza Sochorová
- Dmtirii Turbanov
- Marek Ždánský
- Egor Marsadolov
- Josef Rajchl
- Kristýna Mádlová
- Hana Marie Maroušková
- Vitalii Vorkhlik
- Bohumil Jelínek
- Ján Kostelanský
- Roman Michna
- Zdeněk Havrdlík
- Jiří Šesták
- Anita Čechvalová
- Karel Riebel
- Michael Rozsypal
- Radoslav Kohuťár
Waves Reviews & Ratings
IMDb users rate Waves 7.7/10. Our Echo Score gives it 82/100, strongest in character & emotion (90) and weakest in story & flow (70).
Waves Echo Score Breakdown
Waves delivers a compelling blend of historical drama and political thriller, anchored by strong direction and striking visual composition. Critics and viewers highlight its precise screenplay, immersive 1960s atmosphere, and resonant moral themes, while noting occasional pacing lulls and selective historical coverage. The film’s emotional core, high production values, and relevance to contemporary issues sustain its impact, resulting in a solid overall rating.
Our own 0–100 rating, built from five aspects: art, character, story, the sensory experience and how well a film rewatches.
- Art & Craft 85
In terms of art and craft, the film benefits from meticulous direction and an evocative visual style that recreates the 1960s setting. Reviewers commend the cinematography as excellent and the editing as tight, contributing to a polished aesthetic. Minor criticisms target occasional uneven scene transitions, but the overall craftsmanship remains high, leaving a strong positive impression.
- Character & Emotion 90
When it comes to character and emotion, performances are described as superb and nuanced, bringing depth to the protagonists. Actors convey the tension of personal and political stakes, creating an intimate portrayal of two brothers. The chemistry among the cast and the emotional resonance of their journeys are consistently praised, resulting in a highly effective character layer.
- Story & Flow 70
Regarding story and flow, the narrative is praised for its structural ambition and engaging premise, yet reviewers note uneven pacing and selective historical detail. The opening is seen as slow by several viewers, and some plot connections feel odd, leading to a mixed perception of coherence. Nevertheless, the central arc maintains interest, positioning the story in the moderate range.
- Sensory Experience 88
In the sensory experience, the soundtrack is highlighted as riveting and well‑integrated, while the production design convincingly evokes the era. Visual composition receives commendation for its striking cinematography, and sound design supports the tension of radio resistance. No significant drawbacks are mentioned, resulting in a high sensory score.
- Rewatch Factor 78
For rewatch factor, the film’s educational value and relevance to current geopolitical concerns encourage repeat viewings. Viewers appreciate its ability to provoke discussion and deepen historical understanding, though some describe it as a one‑time watch due to pacing issues. Overall, the lasting appeal and replay potential remain solid, placing the aspect in the upper‑mid range.
-
IMDb 7.7 /10
2872 votes
-
TMDB 74% User score
See on TMDB
Waves Plot Summary
What happens in Waves from start to finish, spoilers included, with a timeline of 12 key events. The opening is below; the full summary is a 2-minute read.
Spoilers ahead
The story centers on the Editorial Office of International Life of the Czechoslovak Radio, a place where journalism, courage, and danger intertwine under the steady leadership of Stanislav Majer. The office buzzes with a team of reporters and editors, among them the sharp and principled Tatiana Pauhofová as Věra Šťovíčková-Heroldová, the determined Vojtěch Kotek portraying Jiří Dienstbier, the seasoned Martin Hofmann as Luboš Dobrovský, and the keen mind of Petr Lněnička in the role of Jan Petránek. The atmosphere of the newsroom is electric and fragile at once, a place where deadlines bite as hard as the truth demands, and where every story carries a risk that goes beyond the page.
Full summary
The whole story of Waves, scene by scene
Waves Box Office & Budget
Waves grossed $8.9 million worldwide on a $3.5 million budget, 2.6 times what it cost.
Worldwide gross
$8.9M
2.6× its budget
- International
- $8.9M
- Budget
- $3.5M
Waves Trailers & Videos
2 videos: 1 trailer and 1 teaser.
- Teaser Vlny | Teaser
How Well Do You Know Waves?
10 questions about the story, each with a hint if you get stuck. Pick an answer to see whether you were right.
Question 1 of 10
- Question 1: not answered
- Question 2: not answered
- Question 3: not answered
- Question 4: not answered
- Question 5: not answered
- Question 6: not answered
- Question 7: not answered
- Question 8: not answered
- Question 9: not answered
- Question 10: not answered
Who portrays Věra Šťovíčková-Heroldová in the film?
Seen Waves?
Movies Like Waves
Films with a similar story, tone or audience, including The Wave, Waves and Waves.
Waves FAQ: Cast, Box Office & Runtime
Runtime, release date, director, cast, box office, ratings, post-credit scenes and language of Waves, each answered in a sentence.
How long is Waves?
Waves runs 2 hours 11 minutes (131 minutes).
When was Waves released?
Waves was released on July 1, 2024.
Who directed Waves?
Waves was directed by Jiří Mádl.
More films by Jiří Mádl Who is in the cast of Waves?
Waves stars Stanislav Majer as Milan Weiner, Tatiana Pauhofová as Věra Šťovíčková and Vojtěch Kotek as Jiří Dienstbier, among 74 credited actors.
How much did Waves make at the box office?
Waves grossed $8.9 million worldwide on a budget of $3.5 million.
How is Waves rated?
Waves has 7.7/10 on IMDb and 74% on TMDB.
Does Waves have a post-credit scene?
No. Waves has no extra scene during or after the credits.
What language is Waves in?
The original language of Waves is Czech.
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